 The close corporations, though their right to choose a member of parliament might be doubtful, had the sole right to admit new burgesses, and whether in parliamentary elections to enfranchise non-residents.Where conflicts arose over the choice of a member of parliament, two competing selections were typically made and the matter came before the House of Commons.The Commons quite often decided in favour of the more popularly elected candidate against the nominee of the town council, on the general principle that neither the royal charter nor a by-law could curtail the usual franchise.